Major Organic Molecules

Carbohydrates

Includes both sugars and their polymers.Polymer building blocks: simple sugars

called monosaccharidesGeneral function: source of quick energy

and building material

Types of Carbohydrates

Monosaccharides – 3-6 carbon sugars, major energy source for cells.

Ex. GlucoseAlso provides raw materials to build other organic compounds

Types of Carbohydrates

Disaccharides – “two sugars” formed by bonding 2 monosaccharides by a dehydration synthesis reaction(remove water).

ex. Glucose + fructose sucrosemono mono

disaccharidetable

sugar

Types of Carbohydrates

Polysaccharides – polymers of a few hundred to a few 1,000 monosaccharides.

Types of Carbohydrates

Important Examples:Cellulose (polymers of glucose)

Major structural component of cell wall in plants. Ex. Wood

Glycogen – storage polymer in animalsStarch – storage polymer in plants

Lipids

Contain C, H, O and other elements. Ex. phosphorus, nitrogenH to O ration is greater than 2 to 1Insoluble in water (non-polar)Dissolve in non-polar solvents. Ex. Benzene

General functions: energy storage, major component of membranes in eukaryotic cells

Types of Lipids

Phospholipids – composed of glycerol, 2 fatty acids, phosphate group. Structural units of cell membrane.

Types of Lipids

Steroids – composed of 4 fused rings and functional groups; serve as hormones (ex. cholesterol); stabilize animal cell membrane

Types of Lipids

Triglycerides – composed of 3 fatty acids and a glycerol; store energy in animals as adipose tissue

Proteins

Composed of C, O, H, N. Major components of animals, polymer building blocks are amino acids

Polymer building blocks: amino acids. Amino acids are bonded by peptide bond to form polypeptide chains (proteins)

Skeletal structure of amino acids (Draw this!!!)

Proteins

General function: EnzymesStructural componentsDefenseSignaling (chemical messages)

Important Examples of Protein

Enzymes – catalystCollagen – tendons, ligamentsKeratin – hairFibrin – blood clotting

Fibrin

Protein Structure

Primary structure: the number, order and type of amino acids in a polypeptide chain

Secondary structure: bending or twisting of polypeptides due to the hydrogen bonding.1. α – helix (alpha) – like a spiral staircase2. β structure – ex. silk is a β pleated sheet (stacked sheets)

Protein Structure

Tertiary structure: folding of polypeptide chains to form specific spatial patterns. Folding due to hydrogen, hydrophobic and/or Vander Waal’s forces. R-group is responsible

Protein Structure

Quaternary structure: arrangement of several polypeptides into a 3D shape.

Nucleic Acids

Linear strand of nucleotide polymers (C, O, H, N, P)

General function: store genetic information, help in protein synthesis

Important examples: DNA, RNA (various types)